The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-02-24

Al meeting Of the State Association Of Civil
Engineers recently there was great deal Of in.
terest manifested on the subject Of early bridge
building, and through the courtesy Of O. b.
Cook, Esq, City Engineer Of Chillicothe, am
able to present picture and accurate descrip-
ton OF the first long span bridge built west OF
This structure WAS erected across the Scioto
river 81 the northern limits Of the city of Chilli
cothe IN the years 1867, and It may claim the
inherent Of Ohio engineers as being the first or
Oldest long-span bridge in the State, II not the
6rst bridge Of any Importance built west Of the
Allegheny mountains. r.
THIS bridge was built by Q company Of five citi-
Gems Of Chillicothe, viz: Humphrey Fullerton,
John Carlisle John M. Landburg John waddle
and Joseph Miller, ST., who by IN act Of the Gen.
eral Assembly, passed February 8. 1915, were
duly authorized to erect toll-bridge over the
Scioto river ut Chillicothe, o.; was opened for
trafilc November IS, 1917, and was In continuous
use until August, 1853.
The rates Of toll were: For foot passengers,
6k cents; for horsemen, 12,f cents; for wagons,
30 cents; but the citizens Of Chillicothe and
vicinity were charged only half-rate Of above
rates. IN Sh afe N
The writer has been unable TO ascertain the
cost Of the original bridge, but a. an spproxi-
nation II 10 known that in 16et the one-ifrh in
terest IN IL was sold for o. $50 at which rate the
entire valuation would be S19,25O.
1t was continued as toll bridge until prob
ably 1927, when It was purchased by the county
and made free bridge.
No extensive repairs were needed or made
on the original structure until after the year
1883 during which year, owing to the unequal
settling OF one Of the piers and the tendency Of
the trusses to depart from the vertical positive,
apprehension was entertained of its safety, and
civil engineer employed to examine its con-
dition. He reported it to be in an unsafe condi-
tion and recommended its instant removal.
This was not done, however, nor were any re-
pairs made until 1867, owing to O question Of
county and the officers OF q turnpike company
who used it for carrying their road over the
river.
In the latter year Qs6O repairs were made, at
an expense Of nearly $780, in regulating the pier,
which had settled, restoring the trusses to an
upright position, putting in new cross bracing
ETC. A considerable portion Of the above sum,
however, was expended in the repairs Of q third
span, which had been added to the original
bridge, in about 1910.
Since that time the bridge had remained, with
more or less doubt expressed as to its stability,
until last year, when another alarm was raised
against the safety Of the ''old bridge" Another
examination was made, and, upon its being re-
ported unsafe the county decided to remove the
superstructure and replace it by an iron bridge,
which has been done during the last season.
The original structure consisted Of two spans
each being $50 feet inches long on the chords ;
in each span were three trusses, placed twelve
feet four inches apart, forming a double road
way. sN.
At the southern end the roadway was on o
level with the high bank Of the river; at the
northern end the approach was by a long
wooden trestle, which was removed about 1870
and replaced by the third span (seen at the left
on the accompanying engraving) and by an en-
bankment.